Haunted Mansion #1

WELCOME, FOOLISH MORTALS, TO THE HAUNTED MANSION! It seems that no one lives in the elegant mansion on the hill...but then where's that creepy organ music coming from? Are the iron gates meant to keep people out...or some things in? Get ready to meet the 999 ghosts of the Haunted Mansion...but be warned, they're looking for the 1000th! The delightfully chilling Disney attraction comes to (after)life in an all-new story, penned by JOSHUA WILLAMSON with art by JORGE COELHO! Don't miss the next great Disney Kingdoms adventure, and the most spine-tingling experience you'll find this side of a Doom Buggy! Rated T

Overall, I want to call "Haunted Mansion" #1 a pleasant surprise of a comic. Not because I wasn't expecting much, but because Williamson, Coelho and Beaulieu really pulled out all the stops to create a horror comic that could appeal to all ages while capturing the wonder and awe of the attraction itself. Centring the emotional connection to the story around a young boy who is way more interesting than Eddie Murphy was, we see a story that proves just what can be done with the Haunted Mansion concept. With an ending that tease many more scares to come, I'd say this is definitely a comic to keep an eye on if you have the guts to do so. Read Full Review

Overall, HAUNTED MANSION #1 is a strong debut for the series. There are times when the writing lends itself to the younger age bracket, explaining things that are happening in each panel, but that could be because it wasn't specifically written with people of my age in mind. However, this is a very minor quibble, as it's great to see more comics released for the all-ages market. Visually interesting and tons of fun, HAUNTED MANSION #1 is a spookily good time. Read Full Review

While the book has a few missteps here and there, they read more like compromises made to a parent company in hit key talking points. To the younger reader, these will be fun shout-outs, while older readers might lose the scene, but only for a moment. In the end, The Haunted Mansion is a book for hardcore fans of the attraction, and any lover of horror. Because no matter how twisted your horror tastes may have become, we fans of the macabre will always hold a place in our dark little hearts for this place and the 999 ghosts that unlive there. This book is a proud addition to any fan's collection. Read Full Review

I mistakenly gave the series a lot of expectations because I loved the movie. Alone, the first issue is pretty good, just not too original. For anyone who is into the supernatural and wants to read some horror without being afraid to go to sleep at night, this series is definitely for you. Read Full Review

“The Haunted Mansion” #1 is a delightful, all ages scary story that will appeal to the core Disney base. It's a fun book with plenty of emotional beats to keep you invested and the art and coloring is very strong. There's no knowledge of the theme part attraction needed to enjoy this story but a desire to enjoy the fantastical is. Read Full Review

The Haunted Mansion #1 is a fun, but safe, introduction to a new interpretation of the Disney classic. It gives the reader just enough to pique their interest, leaving plenty of mysteries for upcoming issues. Williamson and Coelho keep things clicking along, and have done a decent job of setting the foundation. It remains to be seen where future issues will grow, and what new corners of the Haunted Mansion will be investigated, but, at the very least, it will be worth looking into. Read Full Review

Let's not forget that we get to meet Madame Leota in the comic as she will guide Danny (and us the reader) through the haunted mansion and to saving his grandfather along with the other trapped souls. This may not be a comic for the average comic reader, but for kids or Disney fans, I would recommend they read it at least twice to see what hidden images or dialogue the creative team has included to give the attraction its full comic book conversion. This isn't the first time The Haunted Mansion was featured in a comic series of its own, but so far its really fun. Read Full Review

The second half of "The Haunted Mansion" #1 falls flat with too much wordy exposition and rushed pacing. Unfortunately, the tie-in elements are the weakest part of the storytelling. The story is all-ages appropriate, but doesn't add anything substantial or new to the media property yet. Read Full Review

The Haunted Mansion comic book is a great entry point for the story of the Haunted Mansion, and that spooky Disney ride- much better to introduce people to the idea than that awful Eddie Murphy movie. That would be just as bad as using Pluto Nash as a primer for sending your kid on Space Mountain. I love Williamson’s writing, so I knew when he was on-board this project, I would at least be checking out the first issue, and after this issue, I already want to read more. He does a really good job to make us care about the characters of this book, with the turn in the first act one that really galvanizes the reader’s attachment to Danny, and sets up his connection to the Haunted Mansion. In this first issue, we don’t really get a lot of the Teen+ rating that this book is hit with, but I would imagine as we go forward, seeing the horror/suspense elements of this story increased we get quite a bit more mature content. This book’s art and colors really are reminiscent of the Haunted Mansion itself (or at least, what I remember of it from when I was a child at Disney- when I wasn’t hiding my eyes from the headless ghost). I wish that this book could actually have been crafted with a younger audience in mind, because Disney properties, and a lot of Big Two books that SHOULD be accessible to a younger audience are matured up and out of their purview. This was a great first issue, and a book that really made me reminisce of my time at Disney and on all of those rides I so loved as a kid. So if it’s aim was to ensnare the more adult Disney visitors- then it succeeded in full.

As a huge Disney fan, I was both extremely excited and a little worried about this book. While I enjoyed the first Disney Kingdom series, Seekers of the Weird, it wasn't necessarily the best opening run for the new Disney x Marvel line. I feel like everything they wanted to do with that series they have already done with Haunted Mansion #1. Better main character? Check. Better atmosphere? Check. Better writing? Check. This opening issue nailed the look and feel of the classic Disney attraction, and the dialogue was a lot stronger than I was expecting. I love how they took influences from the ride's scenes, but at the same time mixed in their own flair for this story. Danny is a good protagonist and I'm just DYING to see where his adventure goes!